Dinosaurs
Dinosaurs is an American family sitcom that was originally broadcast on ABC from April 26, 1991 to July 20, 1994. The show, about a family of anthropomorphic dinosaurs (portrayed by puppets), was produced by Michael Jacobs Productions and Jim Henson Productions in association with Walt Disney Television and distributed by Buena Vista International, Inc.34 The show used voice actors for the characters which are performed by different puppeteers. Origins News stories written at the time of the show's premiere highlighted Dinosaurs' connection to Jim Henson, an American puppeteer who died the year before. "Jim Henson dreamed up the show's basic concept about three years ago," said a New York Times article in April 1991. "'He wanted it to be a sitcom with a pretty standard structure, with the biggest differences being that it's a family of dinosaurs and their society has this strange toxic life style,' said son Brian Henson. But until The Simpsons took off, said Alex Rockwell, a vice president of the Henson organization, 'people thought it was a crazy idea.'"5 In the late 1980s, Henson worked with William Stout, a fantasy artist, illustrator and designer, on a feature film starring animatronic dinosaurs with the working title of The Natural History Project; a 1993 article in The New Yorker said that Henson continued to work on a dinosaur project (presumably the Dinosaurs concept) until the "last months of his life."6 The television division of the Walt Disney Company began working on the series in 1990 for CBS before the series landed on ABC, which Disney eventually acquired.7 Plot Dinosaurs is initially set in 60,000,003 BC in Pangaea. The show centers on the Sinclair family: Earl Sinclair, the father; Fran Sinclair, the mother; Robbie Sinclair, the son; Charlene Sinclair, the daughter; Baby Sinclair, the baby; and Grandmother Ethyl Phillips. Earl's job is to push over trees for the Wesayso Corporation with his friend and coworker Roy Hess where they work under the supervision of their boss B.P. Richfield. Characters The focus of the show's plot is the Sinclair family: Earl, Fran, Robbie, Charlene and Baby. Main characters Supporting characters Unisaurs Outside of the recurring characters, there are a group of dinosaur characters called Unisaurs. They are customizable dinosaur characters similar to the Whatnots from The Muppet Show and the Anything Muppets from Sesame Street. Some of the Unisaurs are Full-Bodied while the others are hand-puppets. They come in different types. The following are the Full-Bodied Unisaurs: * Longsnout - A generic green Dryptosaurus. This Unisaur was used for: ** Ansel from the episode "Driving Miss Ethyl". His face was performed by Julianne Buescher, his body was performed by Pons Maar, and voice was provided by Michael McKean. ** Babysitter from the episode "Terrible Twos". His face was performed by Bruce Lanoil, his body was performed by Tom Fisher, and voice was provided by John Glover. ** Buddy Glimmer from the episode "Family Challenge". His face was provided by David Greenaway, his body performed by Jack Tate, and his voice was provided by Sam McMurray. ** Devil from the episode "Life in the Faust Lane". His face was performed by Bruce Lanoil, his body was performed by Pons Maar, and his voice was provided by Tim Curry. ** Dr. Ficus from the episode "Germ Warfare". His face was performed by Bruce Lanoil, his body was performed by Pons Maar, and his voice was provided by Charles Kimbrough. ** Ed from the episode "Scent of a Reptile". His face was performed by David Greenaway, his body was performed by Jack Tate, and his voice provided by Thom Sharp. ** Mel Luster from the episode "The Mating Dance". His face was performed by Bruce Lanoil, his body was performed by Jack Tate, and his voice was provided by Richard Portnow. ** Walter Sternhagen from the episode "The Discovery". His face was performed by Bruce Lanoil, his body was performed by Pons Maar, and his voice was provided by Thom Sharp. * Needlenose - A tall dinosaur resembling a Troodon with an elongated snout. In addition to being used for Mr. Pulman and Ralph Needlenose, this Unisaur was used for; ** The Doctor from the episode "Golden Child". His face was performed by David Greenaway, his body was performed by Tom Fisher, and his voice was provided by Sam McMurray. ** Glenda Molehill from the episode "Switched at Birth". Her face was performed by Bruce Lanoil, her body was performed by Tom Fisher, and her voice was provided by Mimi Kennedy. ** Heather Worthington from the episode "A Slave to Fashion". Her face was performed by Terri Hardin, her body was performed by Tom Fisher, and her voice was provided by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. * Spikeback - A bulky Ceratosaurus with a striped back, striped tail, and a nose horn. In addition to being used for Gus Spikeback, this Unisaur was used for: ** Al "Sexual" Harris from the episode "What "Sexual" Harris Meant". His face performed by Bruce Lanoil, body performed by Jack Tate, and voice provided by Jason Alexander. ** Bob the DMV Worker from the episode "Unmarried...With Children". His face was performed by David Greenaway, his body was performed by Jack Tate, and his voice was provided by David Wohl. ** Gus Molehill from the episode "Switched at Birth". His face was performed by David Greenaway, his body was performed by Jack Tate, and his voice was provided by Jason Alexander. ** Job Wizard. His face was performed by David Greenaway, his body was performed by Jack Tate, and his voice was provided by Jason Alexander. * Turtlepuss - A brown turtle-headed Psittacosaurus that was used as Earl's co-worker Sid Turtlepuss. This Unisaur was also used for: ** Clerk from the episode "The Son Also Rises". His face was performed by Bruce Lanoil, his body was performed by Jody St. Michael, and his voice was provided by Robert Picardo. ** Dinosaur Chief from the episode "Hurling Day". His face was performed by Kevin Clash, his body was performed by Michelan Sisti, and his voice provided by Harold Gould. ** Folk Singer from the episode "I Never Ate My Father". His face was performed by John Kennedy, his body was performed by Michelan Sisti, and his voice was provided by Steven Banks. ** Frank from the episode "Fran Live". His body was performed by Michelan Sisti and his voice was provided by Thom Sharp. ** General H. Norman Conquest from the episode "Nuts to War". His face was performed by John Kennedy, his body was performed by Michelan Sisti, and his voice was provided by Jason Alexander. ** Insurance Agent from the episode "Family Challenge". His face was performed by Bruce Lanoil, his body was performed by Jack Tate, and his voice was provided by Peter Bonerz. ** Jean-Claude from the episode "Georgie Must Die". His face was performed by David Greenaway, his body was performed by Michelan Sisti, and his voice was provided by Tim Curry. ** Mr. Myman from the episode "Out of the Frying Pan". His face was performed by David Greenaway, his body was performed by Leif Tilden, and his voice was provided by Michael McKean. ** Muse from the episode "Charlene's Flat World". His face was performed by John Kennedy, his body was performed by Jack Tate, and his voice was provided by Robert Picardo. ** Officer Bettelheim from the episode "License to Parent". His face was performed by David Greenaway, his body was performed by Michelan Sisti, and voice was provided by Michael McKean. ** Odd Job Dinosaur from the episode "How to Pick Up Girls". ** UFO Host from the episode "We Are Not Alone". His face was performed by Bruce Lanoil, his body was performed by Michelan Sisti, and his voice was provided by Jason Alexander. ** Zabar from the episode "Germ Warfare." His face was performed by David Greenaway, his body was performed by Michelan Sisti, and his voice was provided by Dan Castellaneta. * Unnamed Female Unisaur Class - A female Corythosaurus with a short snout, eyelashes, hair-like crest, and lighter-hued skin that was often used for Mindy. This Unisaur was also used for: ** Caroline Foxworth from the episodes "How to Pick Up Girls" and "Steroids to Heaven". Her face was performed by Julianne Buescher, her body was performed by Star Townsend, and her voice was provided by Julianne Buescher. ** Thighs of Thunder from the episode "The Discovery". Her face was performed by Julianne Buescher, her body was performed by Star Townsend, and her voice provided by Suzie Plakson. ** Wendy Richfield from the episode "Hungry for Love". Her face was performed by Julianne Buescher, her body was performed by Michelan Sisti, and her voice was provided by Wendie Jo Sperber). The Hand-Puppet Unisaurs are usually used for television personalities, elders, officials, audience members, and other characters that can be viewed from the waist up. Here are the following Unisaurs in that category: * A blue Protoceratops that was used for the first Chief Elder in "Nuts to War" and was also used for: ** Harold Heffer from the episode "What "Sexual" Harris Meant". He was performed by Bruce Lanoil and voiced by Jack Harrell. ** Elder #2 from the episode "Charlene's Flat World". ** Judge D.X. Machina from the episode "Earl's Big Jackpot". Hw was performed by Bruce Lanoil. ** Shopper from the episode "Power Erupts." * A green Leptoceratops with a large muzzle that was used for various characters. Sometimes has horns to make it look like a Triceratops. * A crinkly-green humanoid-faced dinosaur that was used for the other Chief Elders and was also used for: ** Dr. Elliot Piaget from the episode "Terrible Twos". He was performed by Allan Trautman. ** Edward R. Hero from "And the Winner Is..." He was performed by Allan Trautman and voiced by Jason Bernard. ** Grandpa Louie from the episode "The Last Temptation of Ethyl". He was performed by Allan Trautman and voiced by Buddy Hackett. ** Judge H.T. Stone from the episode "Charlene's Flat World". He was performed by Steve Whitmire and voiced by Paxton Whitehead. ** Mr. Ashland from the episode "Power Erupts". He was performed by Kevin Clash and voiced by John Vernon. ** Mr. Mason Dixon from the episode "What "Sexual" Harris Meant". He was performed by Steve Whitmire. ** Winston from the episode "Earl's Big Jackpot". He was performed by Allan Trautman and voiced by Tim Curry. * A gray Iguanodon-faced dinosaur that was often used for Mr. Lizard (performed by Allan Trautman) and other background appearances. * A cleft-chinned Albertosaurus-esque dinosaur that was often used for Captain Heroic, various newscasters, and various reporters. * A child Unisaur that was often used for Timmy in the "Ask Mr. Lizard" TV show. Two variations of this Unisaur existed: a green one and a blue one. * A blue Edmontosaurus that was used for: ** Richard Simmons Dinosaur from the episode "Nature Calls". He was performed by Steve Whitmire and voiced by Richard Simmons. ** A female version of it was used for a Sitcom Wife in the episode "Dirty Dancin'". He was performed by Julianne Buescher and voiced by Jessica Lundy. * A brown puppet version of a Needlenose that was used for Mr. Otto Lynch from "What "Sexual" Harris Meant" (performed by Allan Trautman). * A Stegosaurus that was used for: ** Government Clerk from the episode "And the Winner Is..." ** Newsboy from the episode "Charlene's Flat World". ** USO Soldier from the episode "Nuts to War" Pt. 2. ** Caroler from "Refrigerator Day". ** Used several times as a student at Bob LaBrea High School. * A crested-brown Corythosaurus that was used for: ** Guy in a Labcoat from the episode "Charlene's Flat World" ** Jury Foreman from the episode "Earl's Big Jackpot" * A Parasaurolophus that was often used for female characters starting in "Slave to Fashion." * A Velociraptor that was used in the final season. Episodes Main article: List of Dinosaurs episodes Topical issues Topical issues featured in Dinosaurs include environmentalism, endangered species, women's rights, sexual harassment, objectification of women, censorship, civil rights, body image, steroid use, allusions to masturbation (in the form of Robbie doing the solo mating dance), drug abuse, racism (in the form of a dispute between the two-legged dinosaurs and the four-legged dinosaurs), peer pressure, rights of indigenous peoples (in the form of the dinosaurs interacting with cavepeople), corporate crime, government interference in parenting, allusions to homosexuality, and pacifism.8 In the episode "I Never Ate For My Father," in lieu of carnivorism, Robbie chooses to eat vegetables, and the other characters liken this to homosexuality, communism, and drug abuse.[citation needed] In the final season, "The Greatest Story Ever Sold" (a take off of The Greatest Story Ever Told) even references religion when the Sinclair family becomes eager to learn the meaning of their existence. The Elders dictate a new system of beliefs, and the entire cast (with the exception of Robbie) abandons science to blindly following the newly popular "Potato-ism". Another religious-themed episode was "The Last Temptation of Ethyl," in which Ethyl willingly allows a televangelist to exploit her near-death experience to extort money from followers. She backs out after having a second such experience, where instead of heaven, she experiences a "place not so nice:" an existence surrounded by nothing but multiple Earl Sinclairs. Several jokes in the series were at the expense of television shows in general. Earl often wants to watch TV rather than do something more practical, and several jokes accuse television of "dumbing down" the population and making it lazy. Captain Action Figure shows up in children's programming that Fran mistakes for a commercial. Whenever Captain Action Figure mentions a product, the screen flashes "Tell Mommy I WANT THAT!". Before the appearance of Georgie, Dinosaurs used a puppet highly reminiscent of Barney named "Blarney" in two episodes. During his appearances, members of the Sinclair family commented on his annoying characteristics and failure to teach anything to children. The characters will sometimes break the fourth wall as well, especially Baby. An example of such is seen in the episode "Nature Calls" (Season 3, Episode 1) when Fran and Earl spell out words in front of Baby during an argument, who, after looking at the camera and saying "This could get ugly", proceeds to spell out "They think I can't spell" with his alphabet blocks. The series finale of Dinosaurs depicts the irresponsible actions of the dinosaurs toward their environment, and the ensuing Ice Age which leads to their demise. The episode "Changing Nature" begins with the failure of a swarm of Bunch Beetles to show up and devour a form of creeper vine. Charlene discovers that WESAYSO has constructed a wax fruit factory on the swampland that serves as the Bunch Beetles' breeding grounds, causing the extinction of the species (save for one male named Stan). Fearing a public relations fiasco more than any environmental threat, WESAYSO quickly puts Earl in charge of an attempt to destroy the vines, which have grown out of control without the beetles to keep them in check. Earl proposes spraying the planet with defoliant, which causes the destruction of the vines, but also kills off all plant life on the planet. Richfield assumes that the creation of clouds will bring rain, allowing the plants to grow back, and so decides to create clouds by dropping bombs in the planet's volcanoes to cause eruptions and cloud cover. The dark clouds instead cause global cooling, in the form of a gigantic cloudcover (simulating the effects of what the viewer would recognize as nuclear winter) that scientists estimate would take "tens of thousands of years" to dissipate. Richfield dismisses this as a "4th quarter problem" and states that WESAYSO is currently making record breaking profits from the cold weather selling blankets, heaters, and hot cocoa mix. Later, Earl apologizes to his family and Stan for his actions. The episode ends with Howard Handupme as he finishes his broadcast grimly saying "Good Night... Goodbye" to the audience. International screening In the United Kingdom, the show was screened on ITV in 1992 and in reruns from 1995 to 2002 on Disney Channel. In Canada the show started airing reruns in 1992 on The Family Channel and aired them until the late 1990s. In Australia the show started airing on the Seven Network from February 1992 through to 1995. In Ireland, in the mid-1990s, it was shown on a Sunday evening on RTÉ Two (known as network 2 back then). DVD and Streaming releases On May 2, 2006 Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released Dinosaurs: The Complete First And Second Seasons as a four-disc DVD box set. The DVD set includes "exclusive bonus features including a never-before-seen look at the making of Dinosaurs". The complete third and fourth seasons, also a four-disc DVD set, were released May 1, 2007 with special features, including the episodes not aired on US TV. Both sets are currently available only in Region 1. As of September 2012, all seasons are available for streaming on Netflix. References # Jump up ^ "Brian Henson's Goal - Bringing 'Dinosaurs' To Tv'". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2010-10-18. # Jump up ^ Du Brow, Rick (1991-02-23). "Television: The ratings success of CBS' Ed Sullivan, Mary Tyler Moore and 'All in the Family' retrospectives may doom innovative entries in the 'Twin Peaks' mode.". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-10-18. # Jump up ^ "`Dinosaurs' Takes Puppetry Into The Electronic Age". Chicago Tribune. 1994-02-03. Retrieved 2010-10-18. # Jump up ^ Cerone, Daniel (1991-11-17). "Primal Secrets From the World of 'Dinosaurs'". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-10-18. # Jump up ^ Kahn, Eve M. "All in the Modern Stone Age Family", The New York Times (Apr. 14, 1991). Accessed Feb. 20, 2009. # Jump up ^ Owen, David. "Looking Out for Kermit", The New Yorker (Aug. 16, 1993.) # Jump up ^ Grover, Ron. The Disney Touch. Homewood, IL: Business One Irwin, 1991. pp. 167-168. # Jump up ^ Rosenberg, Howard (1992-02-19). "Television: ABC series sinks its teeth into witty social commentary a la 'The Simpsons' and finds its metier.". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-10-18. External links * http://movies.disney.com/dinosaurs * http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101081/